Philosophy and the Idea of Freedom

Abstract

Part 1 Anti-Rorty (knowledge): Rorty's account of science pragmatism, epistemology and the inexorability of realism (agency): the essential tension of Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature - or a tale of two Rortys how is freedom possible? (politics): self-defining versus social engineering - poetry and politics - the problem of contingency, irony and solidarity Rorty's apologetics (kibitzing): reference, fictionalism and radical negation Rorty's changing conceptions of philosophy. Part 2 For critical realism: critical realism in context.